ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AMGA
today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Jerry
Penso, M.D., M.B.A., to the position of president and chief
executive officer, effective October 16, 2017. Dr. Penso currently
serves as president, AMGA Foundation, and chief medical and quality
officer, AMGA.

“Health care in America is experiencing great change, and Jerry’s
ability to advocate, innovate, energize, and collaborate will fuel
AMGA’s and our members’ future success,” said Donn E. Sorensen,
executive vice president of operations, Mercy, and AMGA board chair.
“Jerry was chosen in a competitive selection process from a strong pool
of candidates. His track record in extensively growing AMGA quality
programs and his ability to provide physician leadership and continuity
while having a strategy to foster innovation are among the many
attributes that set him apart. He’s the right individual to guide AMGA
as it begins a new chapter.”

Prior to joining AMGA, Dr. Penso served as medical director, continuum
of care for Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group (SRSMG), the largest
integrated healthcare delivery system in San Diego. During his tenure,
SRSMG was recognized as a top performer in California's Pay for
Performance Program for five consecutive years with outstanding results
in clinical quality, patient experience, and use of information
technology. SRSMG is a 2007 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award
recipient and 2010 Acclaim Award Honoree. The Acclaim Award is AMGA’s
highest honor.

“New payment models, regulatory burdens, physician burnout,
consolidation in the market, and increased patient expectations for
convenience and service are just a few of the challenges our members
face,” Dr. Penso noted. “My aim is for AMGA to be our members’ preferred
partner as they navigate the transition to value-based and
high-performance health models. I’m committed to ensuring AMGA becomes
an even stronger voice in changing and improving health care, and
supporting our members in meeting the needs of patients. I look forward
to bringing members and other stakeholders together for this important
work.”

Dr. Penso replaces Donald W. Fisher, Ph.D., CAE, who passed away in
March 2017 and served as AMGA president and CEO for more than 35 years.
Ryan O’Connor, M.B.A., CAE, AMGA’s vice president, membership and
marketing, has served as interim president and CEO, since June 2017.

In addition to his work at AMGA and SRSMG, Dr. Penso has served on the
Integrated Healthcare Association Board of Directors, the California
Cooperative Healthcare Reporting Initiative Executive Committee, and
Board of Directors of the Behavioral Diabetes Institute, and chaired the
Technical Quality Committee for California’s Pay for Performance
program. He currently serves on the Board of the Pharmacy Quality
Alliance.

Dr. Penso received his Master’s of Business Administration from San
Diego State University, his Doctor of Medicine degree from the
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and a Bachelor of
Science degree in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley.

About AMGA

AMGA is
a trade association leading the transformation of health care in
America. Representing multispecialty medical groups and integrated
systems of care, we advocate, educate, innovate, and empower our members
to deliver the next level of high performance health. AMGA is the
national voice promoting awareness of our members’ recognized excellence
in the delivery of coordinated, high-quality, high-value care. More than
175,000 physicians practice in our member organizations, delivering care
to one in three Americans. For more information, visit amga.org